there have been tax hikes and public service cutbacks as the government struggled to live within its means as its revenue severely contracted. with all that slack demand in the economy, wages were dropping, and so were rents. and if you could get a panicky bank to write you a loan, money was cheap to borrow. so rather than wait around for the return of jobs that may never come back, thousands of irish are starting their own businesses. in the first five years of a new enter prize. you can't smell the good things coming from brother hubbard's oven as the cafe prepares for breakfast. you'll just have to be satisfied with the sights and sounds of a new business. partners garrett fitzgerald and james boland banked about $100,000 into a labor of love. >> i realized a number of years ago that life isn't a rehearsal, that you need to get on with it, and this desire was always within me. i was always keen to have my own business, and it's something i always dreamt of. >> the emphasis is on fresh, high-quality irish ingredients. remember, a business like this isn't only a seller. it's a buyer